1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for conducting and participating in depositions and interviews from a remote location, and to a method of providing remote deposition services.
2. Description of the Related Art
Depositions, interviews and conferences are typically conducted by gathering all parties in a room around a table so that each person can see and hear the proceedings and potentially participate in them. In a deposition, the deponent is asked questions orally and provides oral answers to the questions while a court reporter, or official reporter, takes a machine shorthand recording of the questions and answers using a shorthand writing machine, one example of which is a Stenograph(copyright) machine. The machine shorthand recording is prepared as a transcript text, is typically provided to the interested parties following the deposition.
In the past, the official reporter has recorded the oral proceedings on a paper tape using a stenograph machine which records in a type of code. The court reporter then prepares the transcript in English from the paper tape of the stenograph machine.
Recently, transcription devices have become available which accept an electronic output from the stenograph machine and convert it to English text in real time, these being known as computer aided transcription (CAT).
The present invention permits participation in a deposition from a remote location, including live video, two-way audio, real time transcript text and private messaging. Another aspect of the invention is to provide a multi-media transmission of the deposition over the Internet by secure connection, as well as multi-media playback of the deposition at a later date via any computer connected to the Internet. A further aspect of the present invention permits viewing of and participation in a deposition by multiple persons from a plurality of locations without incurring travel expenses and the associated loss of time. A further aspect of the invention is to permit notes and commentary to be made into the multi-media deposition record by the participants as the deposition is ongoing, and the notes viewed at the corresponding part of the deposition during playback.
In particular, the present invention enables lawyers to remotely take or attend depositions as they happen from anywhere to anywhere with a reliable Internet connection. With the present invention, lawyers travel less, save costs, depose better. No special software or equipment is needed. The present invention provides on-line depositions via a web site, enabling attorneys to participate in a deposition from wherever they are, as long as they have access to the Internet. During a deposition, the present invention will simultaneously deliver live video, two-way audio, court reporter running transcript, and private messaging to any desktop or laptop PC.
These features and advantages as well as others are provided in a remote deposition and interview system and method that includes a digital video camera and microphone in the deposition room which are linked to a computer system that is also connected to the court reporter""s recording machine. The two-way audio, video and transcript information is packaged and forwarded through a broadband connection over a network, such as the Internet, to remote users who are logged onto the remote monitoring system. The remote user sees the video, hears the audio portion of the deposition or interview and can speak using the two-way function, and views the text of the transcript as prepared by the court reporter.
An additional advantage is provided by a chat capability linking the remote user to the computer in the deposition room. The remote user may communicate to those in the deposition room via the chat window. The remote user and the persons in the deposition room may both mark portions of the transcript, including adding annotations.
To set up and use the present invention, the room where the deposition is to be held is prepared by insuring that network connections are available, addresses of domain name servers are known and that communication ports are available. After the communications are configured, the court reporter or other personnel attending or servicing the deposition sets up a field kit which includes a computer such as a notebook computer or the like, a video camera which may in some instances be incorporated into the computer, and one or more microphones. The computer is connected to receive data from the court reporter""s shorthand writing machine and to a broadband connection to the network. Software is initiated on the computer for encoding of the video and audio signals and for accepting the feed from the shorthand writing machine using computer-aided transcription data.
The various components of the remote deposition transmission are sent over the internet connection or other network connection. Processing of the transmission in one embodiment, is handled by separate companies or services, such as using separate dedicated networks, for the two-way audio feed, the audio and visual feed, and the transcript and chat feed. By breaking the transmission out to separate networks, there are bandwidth advantages, resulting in higher quality. However, it is contemplated in the present invention to incorporate all these services under a single provider or company.
A remote user accesses the deposition transmission through access to an Internet World Wide Web site using a computer with an Internet connection and browser software. Preferably, the receiving computer includes sound playing capability including a sound card and speakers, although this is not necessary in every case. The remote user views the video of the deposition which includes both the video and audio component, which is one direction only. Currently, the audio and visual feed is delayed by a six to ten second delay to accommodate for delays in packet switching and transmission over the Internet such as due to encoding processes or transmission issues.
A second component of the remote deposition transmission is a two-way audio component. The audio portions of the deposition are recorded by the microphones in the deposition room and transmitted to the remote user and at the same time the remote user can transmit audio information back into the deposition room. Remote users can talk to each other using the two-way audio. This two-way audio portion is separate from the audio portion associated with the video. The present invention permits switching between the two-way audio component and the audio/visual component of the deposition transmission. The two-way audio is real time, rather than having the 6 to 10 second delay imposed.
Another component of the deposition transmission is the transcript portion. The feed from the court reporter""s stenograph machine is fed into the system and is scrolled as text on the displays of the computers in the room for the deposition as well as for the remote users.
An added feature of the invention permits users of the system, both remote and in the deposition room to annotate and highlight portions of the transcript. These highlights and annotations are recorded along with the transcript.
A further component of the deposition transmission is a chat window. This chat window permits the persons in the deposition room to communicate with the remote users via a two-way text communication in a way that does not introduce the participation into the record as recorded by the court reporter. Remote users may chat with each other. Another feature permits users to send files to each through the chat feature.
The present invention also provides a method for making remote deposition services available. The method includes the steps of preparing the deposition room for the deposition by insuring availability of broadband connection and communication port availability. According to the invention, court reporter services and agencies or other legal support persons are trained and provided with field kits for utilization in the depositions. The users of the service are trained and supported. The deposition transmission is processed for audio/visual, two way audio, and text communications through a single in-house service or through out-sourced services. The deposition transmission is made available via a network such as the Internet on a World Wide Web browser through a secure connection.
A further aspect of the present invention is to equip and train court reporters, legal support person, or other service providers in each region of the country to insure country wide availability of the remote deposition service. A further aspect is to provide dedicated broadcast stations so that field kits do not need to be set up each time.
Thus, the present invention provides access to depositions anywhere that an online computer is available such as hotels, homes and offices. Participation in the deposition can include experts, associates or senior partners of the attorney taking the deposition, clients, or other members of the legal team.
A further aspect of the invention is to charge for the remote transmission of the deposition on a time basis with each connection to an individual incurring a further charge.
In a further aspect of the invention, registration scheduling, tracking, billing and transmission of the depositions is conducted through a database running on a server computer, preferably using an Internet access through a World Wide Web browser.